The gauntlet of ways to push our physical limits to the max is expanding. From old standbys like the epic Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim hike to milder challenges that tap into the Tough Mudder-esque adventure racing trend, there’s a way to find your holy grail of "Holy crap!" moments at the edge of some inhospitable threshold.

And as popularity for chasing our limits grows, adventure organizers are stocking their death waivers and bottled water so we can satisfy our need for the greatest physical capstones on our brag lists.

That thirst for adventure is exactly why I left work early one afternoon to embark on a 60-mile backcountry challenge with a Bear Gryllis­like wilderness survival educator named T. Coyne and a Naval EOD captain. Logic? All about the thrill of the unknown and a break from my Bruce-Lee-motto-lined desk. But as I learned later, the Boy Scouts were right: Safety First.